Snow Moon and The Two of Cups

Morning all!  Opened my curtains a bit ago and saw why this month's full moon is called the Snow Moon.  Another beautiful snowfall here in Michigan.  Unfortunately it fell on ice, which previously fell on snow, which previous to that fell on ice...you get the picture!  But for right now, it is a picturesque blessing.

The full moon arrives tomorrow morning, February 19, 10:59 am.  However, I really don't like moon ceremonies during the day, I usually perform mine at night.  No particular reason, other than I feel like the darkness provides a special ambiance to the ceremony.
When I think about this moon, I think about possibilities.  In between the onslaught of severe weather, there are glimpses of possibilities.  The hint of things to come.  Last month was all about those new year's intentions.  We write them, then many times just put them away after a few weeks and forget about them.  But now, with spring just around the corner, and the maple sap just beginning to stir in the maple trees, I am feeling the pull  of all those intentions that are possibilities.  A better garden.  Starting seeds indoors next month.  Finishing my novel.  Do more art. Get my online Tarot business going.

I pulled a card for the February Full Moon.  Lately I have been using the Everyday Witch Tarot by Deborah Blake and illustrated by Elisabeth Alba.  The card that came out was the 2 of Cups.

Look back at your New Year's intentions, think about all those changes that you want to occur in your life.  All the things that you want to accomplish.  Then think about engaging a partner or co-conspirator to make these things happen.  Would you be more likely to finish/begin/become?

The 2 of Cups is all about relationships.  If I had asked a question about love, this card would have been a great card to pull.  At this time, though, I asked for a card to support the February Full Moon.  So, unless one of your intentions are for more romance or a romantic partner to come into your life, then this card is more about finding a partner to help you with your other intentions this month.

A full moon ceremony is typically used to remove things from your life; emotional things, blocks, hinderances and the like.  Here is my caution, don't ask to have a person damaged or permanently removed from this earth, no matter how much that thought crosses your mind.  Bad, bad Karma.  The only person in the world you can change is yourself, so stick to those things that need to be removed from your life.  For example, lack of courage, lack of fear, blocks to success, my addiction to news programs, my addiction to Solitaire.  Whoops, I just exposed my full moon issues!

Once you have those issues, write them down on a piece of paper.  Handwrite them.  Hold them to your heart and ask your Higher Power to release them from you.  Then start yourself a fire.

Don't panic, unless you really want to and have a pyromaniac family member, you don't need this kind of fire.   You can basically use any fire source that is safe and controllable for this part of your ritual.  I usually use my fire pit, unless the weather is bad outside or everything is covered in snowfall, like today.  In that case I can use my grill (very safe and easy to start and outside) or I can use my little clay caldron that I use for smudging.  I try not to burn in it inside;  I do have smoke detectors all around my house.  I usually just step outside onto my porch, burn the paper as I offer my intentions up to my Higher Power, then dump them into my flower beds.  Another caution, please please, please, make sure that the flames are out completely, and there is absolutely no chance of fire.  Most of the time, I leave my caldron on my step for several hours or until the next morning just for safety's sake.

I did have a pretty close call once, when I lit my smudge stick on fire, blew out the flames, then after the ceremony, ground the stick down so that there were no flames, smoke, black, everything I could think of and set the caldron and remaining stick on my kitchen counter.  When I got up the next morning I discovered that my stick had relit itself and burned another inch or so.  Yikes!  I now leave the caldron outside in a safe area where there is no danger of fire.  Please make sure you are responsible when ever you light a fire!

In conclusion, have a Happy Full Moon Day!  Contemplate all those New Year's intentions and wishes, write down your barriers, burn the stuffing out of them, and think about how you can make use of the 2 of Cups to achieve your dreams.  Find a partner?  Renew a partnership?  Could be a good thing!

The Magic of Asking For Help

What an upsetting few days I had last week.  A week ago Wednesday I took a small group of teens to visit a couple of museums and somewhere at the last one, I lost my cell phone.  My cellphone carries my life in it.  Pictures of my grandkids that I use in Christmas projects.  Interviews for an upcoming museum exhibit I am working on.  And all the stuff that I use daily.  Like phone numbers.  I do not know one single person's phone number.  They are all on my phone.  My only saving grace here, is Facebook Messenger. And my work phone. I spend the first few days going over and over my route, my stops, and my memory. None of them gave me anything. I went to the museum where I was most thinking I left it and literally begged the spirits there to help me please find my phone. They were silent. After panic, my wiser self began to emerge. I remembered that often when something happens in our life, it is a lesson. A pull back and time to think about what is really going on. I know, I know, some think this is just a coincidence not a lesson. I just was careless and left it somewhere. Okay, so yes, I was careless and left it somewhere, but if you know me at all, you know I do not believe in coincidences. So that leaves me a lesson to learn. Again, if you know me at all, you know that the moment I first saw a computer it was love at first sight. I love technology. I use it all the time. My

life is technology and computers and my phone and my Kindle. A year ago last winter, the power went out. Gradually, like watching a death, I watched my technology run out of power and fade away. I had to actually pick up an old book to read. I couldn't talk to my Alexa. I was so lost. I also began to realize that I was in a bit of trouble with my technology. I was spending way too much time with it. So I backed off a bit. Went out and bought a real book to read. I am still reading it. Slowly. When I can find where I put it. (okay so at times I am really really careless) But as time went on, I became as involved and ( I hate to say it ) controlled by my technology. I was giving Alexa commands in my car but I don't have her in my car. I would get upset at the grocery store when my phone wouldn't connect to wifi so that I could read my shopping list. I was right back to where I had been. So I lost my phone. Yes I was careless, but in reality I am being hit over the head with the lesson that I need to really back off some. The fact that I have been whining about how my whole life is now gone, tells me that I need a reality check. And those 4 and a half days have brought this home. On Sunday morning, I decided that I needed to do something about my phone. So I lit my candles and incense, asked my special team of angels, ancestors and my higher power for help and then pulled a spread of cards from my Paulina Tarot deck. I chose 3 cards to begin with. The Star, for what I wish for, the World for good luck coming, and the Wheel for believing that this was coming back to me. I then pulled St. Anthony from my Saints and Angels deck and put him on the top of the spread. Finally, I asked my angels for a card to give me directions. I pulled the Knight of Wands. As soon

as I saw it, I knew that it was telling me to go back to where I had been. The knight is on a multi-legged swan facing the left side of the card. Facing backwards to me usually means to look to your past. The many legs tell me that I have searched many places for it. It is also a card of passion and magic. My interpretation is that the phone is somewhere I have already looked several times. It is in a location that holds the past. I took a moment to meditate on the cards, asking St. Anthony and my team for help in locating this lost object, I thought about each tarot card I pulled and visualized the phone being in my hands again. Then I thanked everyone for helping me find my phone. Will I find it? Hopefully yes, but maybe not. Sometimes our lessons are painful and if I don't find it, then my guides are making sure I am learning it. So mote it be. I went to the museum later that same day. I needed a password for a project I am working on. When I was sitting at my desk, a thought came to me that I had made up some posters that needed to go into the museum. So I went back into the acquisitions room where I had set them and picked them up. There was my phone. Under posters about the past. In the room holding artifacts of the past. In a historical museum office. A place where I looked many times already. If you have had a reading from me, you know I harp on and on about getting a team of angels, your higher power, and ancestors etc from the other side. Put them on your team and ask for help. I am always amazed at how often, when I do this they come through for me.